Christmas' Misery

Chapter twenty four

[Christmas]

My forehead knotted when I woke up in unfamiliar room. I circled my eyes around the place and I don't remember how I got here. The place was slightly filled with darkness and I only had a lampshade and a patio light coming from the veranda outside that giving me lights to see. I slowly sit down in the bed trying to remember what just happened.

“Thank you so much for accompanying me here, Christmas.”

“Anytime, Auntie.”

“I hope you can forgive me.”

“Forgive you on what?”

“For this.”

As everything flashes back to me, my eyes got widened and quickly get off the bed. “No, no, no! This isn't real. He didn't took me!” I shouted silently, grasping my hands on my hair in frustration. I goes to the door and about to open it but it was lock from the outside. “Carlos! Open the door! I know you were there!” I shouted trying to open the door. “Carlos!” I shouted his name again but he isn't answering me. “f**k!” I kicked the door and goes back in the bed.

I placed down my head on my knees and start crying like a five years old kid. This my situation isn't right anymore. I got married but I lost my child because of Duke and now the man that I hated the most took me somewhere I don't know! Why my life is like this? This isn't fair for me. I didn't done anything bad in my life.

Knock! Knock!

My head automatically raised up when I heard a knock. I quickly wiped my tears using my hands and stood up while looking at the door. I took the lampshade on my side before I walk through the doorway. I am waiting for the door to be open so that I could hit the someone who is opening the door but I'm sure it was Carlos.

“Ahh!” I yelled and about to hit the lampshade but...

“What do you think you are doing?” Carlos asked as he cought the lampshade in my hand that I'm going to hit on him. He took it while giving me death glared which I fought back.

“What I am doing? What do you think you are doing?!” I yelled at him, “Why the hell did you took me?!”

“This is where you belong,” he answered, “Me and you, Christmas. This is where we belong.” he said giving under pressure on his words.

“What the hell are you talking about?! I don't have time to play in your game. I want to go home!” I was about to pass him when he held my arm.

“No, not now,” he said and pushed me back here inside.

“What?” I looked at him unbelievable. “Is auntie here, huh?” I asked him.

“She is already home,” he answered coldly and place the lampshade in the floor.

“You planned this two?”

“Yea, so sit down in the bed and calm down. I will not going to do anything–”

“No! I will go home. Duke might be looking for me now!” I passed him but before I could walk out in the room, he talk.

“After all he done to you, you still going home to him?” he said at his deep voice that made me stop.

I turn around to face him. “After all he done to me? What do you mean? What do you know, Carlos?” I asked because I never tell to anyone what I found that Duke did to me.

He grinned. “I know everything, Christmas, even the things you didn't know about yourself.” He said and switched on the lights.

I was stunned at my place as the lights showed me a portrait of a woman who definitely look a like of me. It was hanged on the wall where the bed I used to rest recently. The woman in the portrait was wearing a white floral dress and her hair are tied up with a ribbon. Her face is definitely like mine.

“Wh-who the hell is that?!” I asked as my whole nerves starts to tremble.

“It was you, Christmas,” he answered.

I chuckled sarcastically. “Me?” I pointed myself.

“Yea, it is all you.” He signalled me to look at my back.

I slowly face at my back and I automatically stepped back as I saw lot of picture of me in the wall at the same time in the drawer. I can't remember a thing that I had a picture one of it so what the hell is happening here? My heart started to beat abnormally that made my breath in rapid. I evenly saw a picture of me with him where we both wearing a wedding clothes.

“Christmas.” He took a step forward. “Look at me, you need to calm down.”

I look at him, breathing rapidly. “What is this all about? W-why we had a picture together?” I asked and looked back where the picture is.

“This is all of you. This is we are belong and I am your husband, Christmas,” he confessed out that didn't take anymore of myself.

Eight years later...

[Carlos]

     I am standing now in front of a huge gate, holding my cellphone where she texted her address. Tonight I decided to settled our dinner and she asked me a favor if it's okay it will be done in their house. My plan was to take her at a restaurant but since she is serious about it, I just agreed as long as the dinner will be done tonight.

Ding dong! Ding dong!

    I pressed the doorbell twice and I waited almost a minute here in the dark. There are a patio lights in the both side of the gate but the light seems already going to give up. The patio lights might be already old.

“Who is that?” asked of the woman that I couldn't see from the inside but I'm sure she is heading here. “Who are you? What is it you want?” she asked again as we seen each other.

I cleared my throat. “I-I'm here for Christmas.” I answered.

“Oh! Are you Carlos?”

“Yes, I am. Is she there?”

“Yes, she is here,” she answered and quickly opened the gate, “Christmas had been waiting for you inside.” she added and lead me the way through the house.

    It's not actually just a house because it is a damn f*****g big house in an ancient greek style. There are lots of lights around the house that is why I can see the actual appearance of it. We are now here in the open air courtyard and I'm following the maid where she will take me. The house is built of stone, wood and clay bricks and I wonder how old is this now. This might be older than me.

“Carlos!”

    My eyes suddenly locked to the most beautiful woman I ever seen. She was wearing a white dress that is almost in the floor and her long curl hair are bouncing in the air while she's running towards me. I think I'm in love!

“You came!” Christmas said showing her sweetest smile.

“I-I don't want to miss the dinner,” I answered trying to put myself together, “It is just shame on me that you are the one who prepared our first dinner.” I added.

“Don't feel that way. I'm the one owe you here not you.” She laughed. “Let's go before the food get cold.” She held my hand and we walk together where she will take me together with the maid in our back.

“Does your parents know that I am here?” I asked while we are walking.

“They already gone when I was 10 in a car accident,” she answered in her lower voice.

“I-I'm sorry I didn't mean it to bring it up.” I squeezed her hand softly.

Christmas chuckled. “It's okay. It's not your fault anyway.”

“I know but still I feel sorry for your lost.” I smiled a little to her. “So, who you living with here? Any relatives?”

“Ahm, actually I'm not living with any of my relatives here. I am only with the care of my maids and a driver.” She laughed. “But I have this cousin of mine who always check on me here but she isn't living with me because she is on Chicago with her family. She is just visiting me here once in a month.”

I nodded as I understood her situation. “Aren't you feel lonely here?”

“Hmm, at first yes!” she answered energetically and stopped walking, facing on me, “But since you are here now, I ain't lonely because you are with me.”

     That simple answer of her made my heart melt. It seems I just don't want to end the night and stay with her always. I wish I could spend more time with her after our dinner.

“You cook all of these?” I asked amazingly while we are having our dinner here in the table for two person.

    We are here at the back of their garden and she settled everything perfectly from the table to lights. We also had a champagne and strums of violin playing with her driver. At this moment, I feel really ashame for myself because men should the one who is doing such thing like this.

“Not exactly I'm the only one. The maids helped me in cooking our food,” she replied, “Besides, it's just a Banza Chickpea Pasta and Breaded Pork Chops. There is nothing special in my cook.”

“No you are wrong. These foods are special because you made them,” I disagreed on her.

“Hahaha! Whatever.” She laughed. “So, tell a story about you, Carlos. What is your story?” She asked while we are eating.

“Ahm, my story isn't that interesting. You wouldn't want to know.” I laughed.

“I want to know your story that's why I'm asking you. Don't worry I'll tell mine after you.”

“You will tell yours?” I asked if I heard was right.

“Yea, if you will tell,” she replied, “I love eating dinner while having some conversation that's why I want to hear some to you.”

“Okay I will tell you my story but it is just a short story, okay?”

“Hahaha! It's okay as long as I will know something to you.”

I smiled on her and drink the water first in the glass that besides of my wine glass. “Ahm, where I a going to start?” I chuckled when I suddenly became blank in words.

“You can start in your name since this is getting to know each other.”

    Like what Christmas told me, I start telling my story in my name till how my parents left me. I even tell her how bad I am in school and why I always skip classes. She was a little dramatic because she almost cried after hearing all my story. Christmas take her turn in telling hers and while she was talking I was only staring at her beautiful face. I want to memorize every angle of her and how perfectly her eyes and lips. She is a talker because she told me lot of things about her even I didn't ask her to. I found at that she is studying at all girls school that only a few distance where I'm studying. I also found out that she doesn't make friends that much and she preferred to be with herself only which I feel like lucky at this moment.

     Christmas is just 17 and she will turn at her legal age on the day of 25th of December. She even told me that everything what her family left will going to transfer on her but that is not my concern. After she graduated in her highschool, she will moved to Florida to continue going in college. That made me feel sad because she will leave and I will never see her again. Though she told me that she will come back after finishing her degree but it was too long. If I only have money and passport I will join her there.

     After our dinner that night, we start dating as I confessed out my feelings towards her. It made me surprise that our feelings are mutual. I courted her for almost 5 months and now we are officially in a relationship. I know this is too fast but before she leaves I want her to be mine. I want her to marry me so no one will dare to get her from me. So, I decided to bought a ring and propose on her birthday.

“Happy birthday, Love,” I whispered on her ears while she was lying on my lap.

She smiled while her eyes are fixed on the little chandelier on the ceiling of her room. “This is my first birthday that someone is with me.” She glimpsed on me. “I mean I am with my maids in my past birthdays but this is different because of you.”

“I want to take you out to celebrate your birthday but you don't want to.” I grimaced. “I want this day become memorable to you. This your first birthday with me and my our first Christmas together.”

She laughed. “It doesn't matter if we are going to celebrate or not. Being with you here is already memorable for me that I will keep forever in my heart.” She pinched my hand.

“Hmm, you really are sweet talker.” I pinched her both cheeks. “So, are we just going to stay here in your room?”

“Ahm.” She bite her lower lip.

“Ahm?”

“Th-there is something I want to do right now, Carlos,” she said and I saw how her cheeks turned in red.

My forehead knotted. “And what is that something you want to do? Did you change your mind to go out with me?”

“I just want to feel you now and you know what I mean.”

I was surprised on what she said. “B-but you told me you aren't ready for it. Why changed of mind?”

“I told you being with you is already a memorable for me but I want us to do it now. I really want you so badly,” she replied sounded almost begging to me.

“Are you sure abo–”

“Yes,” she cut me off and pulled me to her to kiss me.

     That night I took everything she gave in and cherish every part of her body gently in my care. Every touch of my hand and my body I am making sure that she is comfortable in our situation. We take all the moment we can have and didn't care the time who is our enemy everytime we are together. When we get tired and satisfied ourselves, we rest in the bed while she resting her head on my chest.

“I love you,” Christmas said almost whispered while playing her fingers on my chest.

“I love you always,” I replied and took the ring hidden below of the pillow i am using, “I want to spend my life with you, Christmas.” I start combing her hair with my fingers.

“I want to stay like this forever with you,” she replied.

“Do you want me to stay with you the rest our lives?”

She raised her look to me. “Of course, I want! You are all I want.”

I smiled and showed her a small red box. “I bought this using all the money I saved since I started my highschool.”

“W-what is that, Carlos?” she asked but I know she already had an idea.

“You are now 18 and I guess you can already marry me.” I opened the box. “Would you like to marry me before you leave, Christmas?” I asked.

“You are really serious,” she replied, “Of course I will marry you!”

      Like what on my plan, we married before the month of her flight going to Orlando. It just the maids and her few relatives who came at our wedding and Luis at the same time who I only invited. It's been one week when she graduated in the last year of her highschool and she really eagerly to take her degree at Orlando. I just finished as well my first year college and my grades isn't bad now before I met her. I have now my inspiration.

“Are you sure you don't want to come with me?” Christmas asked for the hundredth of times.

“I want too but I already decided that I will stay here. I'm already doing good at my university,” I replied, “I will just going to waste my one year there if I'm going to transfer in other university.”

“Okay if it's really what you want.” She smiled. “Wait for me okay?”

“I will wait till you come back.” I took her hand and kissed the back of her palm.

“I love you.” She suddenly hugged me.

“I love you too,” I replied, “I will miss you my wife.”

“I am starting to miss you now,” she said teary eyes, “I will come back.”

I chuckled. “You should be. If you don't I am going to force to fly there to find you.”

She released me and smiled widely. “Bye, Carlos.”

“I will not going to say goodbye because you are still coming back.” I grimaced. “Let me know if you arrived there, okay?”

“Yes, I will.” She took the handle of her luggage bag. “I have to go now. Take care of yourself.”